Knight of Gaia
by Mistryl and Company
Summary: Rated for some language. Van and Hitomi's daughter has left on her dragon slaying but while on that she stumbles upon a group of people from the Mystic Moon and discovers the difference between love and lust. YGOEscaflowne crossover
1. Slaying of the Dragon

Here's The Knight of Gaia. It was the first one and where the ideas for many of the original characters came from. This is an Escaflowne/YGO crossover and much of it takes place on Gaia. It takes place right after the Battle City finals and right before the Virtual world. There's too many original characters to name in this one.  
  
* * *  
  
Disclaimer: Escaflowne and YGO do not belong to me even though I wish Joey did.  
  
Serena Kanzaki-Fanel, high Princess of the small country of Fanelia slid her sword into the sheath as she looked out the window. The war had ended with the death of the enemy leader but renegade enemies still remained. The martyr for their cause had been the Crown Prince of Asturia. King Dryden and Queen Millerna Aston of Asturia had mourned the loss of their only son but at least he had died nobly.  
  
"Are you ready?" An older woman with longer honey-brown hair and green eyes came up behind her. Queen Hitomi Kanzaki-Fanel smiled at her only daughter. At eighteen years of age Serena had finally reached the age of ascension. It was an exciting time for all of Fanelia.  
  
"I am prepared for my Dragon Slaying, mother."  
  
"Good, your father would like to see you before you leave.  
  
* * *  
  
Joseph Wheeler opened his eyes as he felt the blimp shake and jumped to his feet. He threw a glance at the clock that read 5:15 AM. The blimp shook again and he pulled on his shoes and raced out the door of his room.  
  
"Joey!"  
  
Joey turned to see short Yugi Mutou hurrying to catch up with him.  
  
"Hey Yuge, do ya know what's goin on?"  
  
"Not a clue," Yugi shook his head. He unconsciously brought his hand up to touch the large necklace with the upside down pyramid hanging from it known as the Millennium Puzzle.  
  
"Kaiba!" Yugi yelled as they saw Seto Kaiba, the president of KaibaCorp and the man in charge of the Battle City Tournament.  
  
"You know, some of us sleep past five," Tristan grumbled.  
  
"Get us back on course," he ordered his staff gruffly.  
  
"We can't Mr. Kaiba."  
  
* * *  
  
Serena took the last bite from her makeshift meal of lizards and insects as she glanced over at the dragon's cave. It will be morning in a few hours. The dragon will exit the cave then. Serena looked down at her meal. Varie always hated these. Serena thought back to the last time she had seen her friend.  
  
* * *  
  
"Tomorrow you're going to be eighteen." The cat girl with the light blue hair and silver stripped tail twitched her ears and tail as she watched Serena.  
  
"I know."  
  
"I don't want you to go after the dragon. It's too dangerous!"  
  
"Don't worry about a thing."  
  
"You're in no shape to fight! Sakuyo just died two days ago."  
  
Serena winced at the reminder of her husband. She had taken it as hard as anyone but she had thought she had what it took to deal with it. "I'll be fine Varie. Quit worrying."  
  
Serena looked coldly at the cave as she fingered the hilt of her sword. "I won't fail this time."  
  
Duke Devlin rubbed his eyes as he followed Tristan Taylor out of the blimp. Some blue-haired kid was causing problems.  
  
"I said all duelists," the kid continued as Kaiba's guards tried to run out but were stopped by several guns and ran back.  
  
"You're not a duelist."  
  
Tristan glared down at him. "No one needs to know that. Zip it dice- boy."  
  
Innocent looking Serenity was clutching onto her older brother, Joey's, arm as they proceeded forward.  
  
"Welcome Mr. Kaiba," said an old graying man in a suit who was standing in front of four other men in suits.  
  
"You! What do you want?"  
  
"Revenge."  
  
"They seem familiar but I can't quite place them," Yugi mussed.  
  
"These are the creeps that you and Joey helped save Seto from last time," small Mokuba Kaiba told them. "They got trapped instead of Seto. They were KaibaCorp's board of executives: Gansly, Crump, Johnson, Nesbitt, and Lector."  
  
* * *  
  
The sun was just rising over the mountains when the land dragon came out of its cave. Its huge body shook from side to side with each step. The ground shook and Serena calmed her mind. She shut her eyes and focused as she released the catch of her shield. The dragon turned towards her and its yellow eyes met Serena's one greenish-blue and one brown eye. Her long honey-brown hair fell down her back as she took a step back and held her sword up in guard position. The long twists that laid against her face kept it from falling into her face. The fire blazed as she blocked it with her sword and the attack melted the shield.  
  
Serena thrusted forward into an attack that was met by the force of the dragon's tail.  
  
* * *  
  
"We will play by a new dueling system in our very own dueling world."  
A bright light came down and they were all lifted off the ground but not the men in suits.  
  
Joey landed hard on the ground and he looked above him and saw the sun shinning down on him. He shielded his eyes as he looked up. And there was the Earth hovering up above. "I don't think I'm in Kansas anymore," he muttered as he felt something land hard on his back.  
  
Joey groaned as something else hit. They stumbled off and Joey tried to get up but seemed to be failing. His back was hurting too much as all the rest fell around him. Joey blinked as Tristan and Duke stumbled to their feet.  
  
"You okay buddy?"  
  
"Never been betta."  
  
"He must be alright, he can be sarcastic."  
  
"Watch it dice boy." Tristan and Téa helped the hurting Joey back to his feet only to be hit in the upper back by a dive-bombing Seto Kaiba.  
  
Kaiba got up and Joey spit the grass and dirt out of his mouth. "Is that everyone already?"  
  
Joey got to his feet and there was a taunting look in Kaiba's eyes. "Well, at least you found something you were good for Wheeler."  
  
Tristan and Duke grabbed onto Joey before he could do anything when they heard a loud roar and felt the ground shake beneath their feet.  
  
"Uh, Yuge, what's dat?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
They all slowly turned around to see one of the biggest duel monsters any of them had ever seen and this one looked, sounded, and smelled real.  
  
Yugi jumped up and clung onto Joey's back. "Save me, save me, save me! Get me out of the Shadow Realm!"  
  
"Yo! Yuge! Can't breathe!"  
  
Kaiba grabbed Mokuba and jumped behind a small clump of bushes as they all tried to hide.  
  
Blue blood was dripping from the huge dragon's hide. The same blue blood had coated a figure standing in front of them. It was a woman and the blood covered her hair and most of her face, arms, and clothes. She was breathing hard as she launched herself at the dragon again and was thrown backwards.  
  
Yugi looked back and forth from the gapping Kaiba to the gapping Joey. This was the last thing they had expected to see.  
  
The dragon fell with a resounding crash as the woman turned towards them. Her eyes locked on Joey and she whispered something. Her face was pale, or at least what they could see behind the dragon blood. She looked like she had seen a ghost and she dropped the sword.  
  
* * *  
  
All the big five looked at each other. "Was that supposed to happen?"  
  
"Uh, Noah, sir. We've got a problem."  
  
* * *  
  
Serena blocked the next blow that the dragon directed her way as she realized there was an open meadow nearby. I can lead the dragon there.  
  
Serena jumped onto a rock and dove away as the dragon crashed his tail upon it. Serena rolled and sliced down its now open and vulnerable backside. The blood poured out and covered her from head to toe.  
  
She jumped out of the way and landed gracefully as the dragon charged towards her and into the open meadow. On the open meadow she had the advantage. She knew how to navigate it. As soon as the dragon turned towards her she struck out towards it and slayed it with no problem.  
  
Serena slit open its heart and pulled out the shinning drag energist as soon as she had sliced everything away and then turned towards the sun. Two strangely dressed teenage boys caught her attention and she remembered the light coming from the Mystic Moon.  
  
One was an ever-serious looking brown haired boy but the other boy was blond. It's not possible!  
  
"Sakuyo," she whispered as she dropped her sword. It's not possible! Sakuyo died a week ago!  
  
Serena fell to her knees as she wrapped her fingers around the drag energist. Her shirt hung loosely around her as sweat began dripping down her face. She felt so tired as she hit the ground. The weariness was growing constantly.  
  
She struggled to her feet again as the strangely dressed people surrounded her. She used her sword to push herself up as she faced them.  
  
"Uh, hi," the blond said and the brown-haired boy came up to her.  
  
"What are all of you doing here?"  
  
"We just landed."  
  
"Fine then, come to my castle." She held her head up high.  
  
"Uh, who are you?"  
  
"I am Serena, High Princess of Fanelia. I assume you want some sort of aid." Serena slid her sword into the sheath as she glared down at them. "Well are you coming?"  
  
"Uh, yeah," they all chased after her.  
  
* * *  
  
"ALLEN SCHEZAR!" Allen leapt out of the bed and looked around confused and he ran out.  
  
Van Fanel, King of Fanelia glared at him. "Where is Serena?"  
  
"Uh?"  
  
"What? Isn't she back yet?" Queen Hitomi Kanzaki de Fanel ran out in her nightgown and a flimsy robe and tried to comfort her husband. Allen flicked his eyes appraisingly to her.  
  
"Watch it!"  
  
Allen jerked up. "Uh, yeah. She's not back."  
  
"Find her," Van snarled in a low voice.  
  
"Van, dear, please calm down. Everything's fine." Van calmed with his wife's hand on his arm. If Hitomi said so it must be true.  
  
"I would feel better if I knew."  
  
Hitomi smiled knowingly as she took out the cards she always kept with her.  
  
"Allen, fetch Merle and go look for Serena."  
  
"Yes sir." Allen saluted and winked at Hitomi. "Where's a brush when you need it," he muttered as he looked at his messed up hair. He ran into another room. "Merle! Get up!"  
  
The pink haired cat woman with the orange-stripped tail stumbled out. "Allen, do you know what time it is?"  
  
"Yep, but his royalness wants us to find the daughter he can't keep track of."  
  
Merle pulled the blankets over her head again but then Allen grabbed her feet and pulled her out.  
  
"Ow!" She yelped and stumbled out to see Van and Hitomi. "But I have children that need to be watched Lord Van."  
  
"Take them with Merle, you always do." Allen muttered as he rolled his eyes.  
  
"But Allen," Merle covered her mouth. "She was slaying dragons! I can't take them there."  
  
"Then tell Lord Van to baby-sit."  
  
Van jerked up. "What?"  
  
"We aren't a daycare service," Allen told him. Allen was just there due to the destruction of Asturia and the deaths of Dryden, Sakuyo, and all the Knights of Caeli aside from him. Millerna, the Queen, had taken refuge on the Crusade.  
  
Van sighed, "Bodyguard Allen, bodyguard."  
  
"That girl doesn't need a bodyguard! She could be my bodyguard."  
  
"Fine." Hitomi said now in her travel clothes. She grabbed a sword off the wall. "Then I'll do it."  
  
"I'll be a bodyguard when you start paying me," Allen grumbled.  
  
"What happened? What happened? Is Princess Serena okay?" Blue-haired and silver tailed Varie Freid, Merle's oldest, ran out. She had been closest friends with Serena since before the war, the same war that had also killed her father. Her brother had disappeared as well. He was counted as a casualty but many didn't believe it.  
  
"She's fine Varie."  
  
Everyone was talking at once when brown-furred, blond haired Marlene, the youngest raced out. "Mom! Mom!"  
  
"Tell Varie!"  
  
"Varie! Varie!"  
  
"What about Princess Serena? Where's Princess Serena?"  
  
"Uncle Allen! Uncle Allen!"  
  
"No Hitomi, don't go. We'll go. It's too dangerous for you."  
  
"Lady Hitomi! Lady Hitomi!"  
  
"I can take care of myself Allen Schezar!"  
  
"Lord Van! Lord Van!"  
  
"Everyone! Be quiet!"  
  
"UNCLE VAN!!!!!" Marlene started sobbing until Hitomi picked her up and petted her head.  
  
"It's okay little kitty, me and Uncle Van will read you a story."  
  
"We'll what?"  
  
"It's the least we can do Van."  
  
Van threw his hands up in exasperation. "Uh, Van, we'll be going." Allen ran off followed by Merle.  
  
* * *  
  
Allen was moving forward in Scherezade with Merle on the hand of his Guymelef something dropped in front of his faceplate.  
  
"Hello!"  
  
Out of shock Allen dropped Merle and could hear her hissing and spitting in anger. "Allen! I ought to use you as a scratching post!" She scrambled off and fell off again, this time in her own shock.  
  
"VARIE! Get down from there!"  
  
"But I want to help," she whined. "I want to help find Princess Serena!"  
  
"Merle?"  
  
Merle dropped onto Scherezade's hand. "Just go Allen. I just don't care anymore." 


	2. The Savior Knight and the Red Guymelef

"I'm hungry Seto."  
  
"So am I Joey."  
  
Seto Kaiba and Joey Wheeler turned around to see Mokuba Kaiba and Yugi Mutou sitting the ground. They had obviously given up on walking.  
  
"Wait!" Serenity called out towards the Princess.  
  
"Keep up or get lost," she snarled. That was enough for Joey as he ran ahead and grabbed her collar.  
  
"I don't know who you think you are but the only reason we're following you is because you supposedly know your way so if you don't listen up we'll get rid of you. You couldn't possibly fight us." Joey hadn't even realized that he had lifted her off the ground so that she was eye-level to him even though normally a good foot separated their heights.  
  
"Don't make me mad. You have no idea who you're dealing with."  
  
Joey threw her down. "Yeah I do! A snot nosed little rich girl with no idea how to survive out of her penthouse."  
  
Serena brought a kick to the back of his knee and as she heard the cartilage tear she grabbed his arm and flipped him over onto his back and returned with a strike to the nerves in his face. Joey bit his tongue as she halted the next strike and jammed her heel down between his legs.  
  
Everyone was speechless as Tristan and Serenity helped him back up. "Dat girl," he snarled.  
  
"I'll take you as far as the capital of the country of Zaiboc. All refugees stay there. I suggest you don't follow me after that unless you want to know real pain. I know your idiot friend there saw me slay a dragon and that was no illusion." Serena turned towards them, a dangerous light in her eyes. "I'll kill you myself if you get in my way again."  
  
"Great going Wheeler."  
  
"Watch it Kaiba."  
  
* * *  
  
It was a few hours before they stopped and it was completely dark but Serena managed to start a fire even after that. Or at least she had done it after Joey had failed utterly and kept bringing it up just to wipe his face with it.  
  
"Show off." Joey suddenly perked up. "Food? I smell food!"  
  
Serena passed out the long sticks that she had just pulled out of the fire and Yugi hungrily ate.  
  
"This is great your Highness!" Yugi said with a grin. "Even better than hamburgers!"  
  
Joey and Kaiba looked down at their sticks. They were covered in roasted insects and lizards.  
  
"No thank you, your Highness. I would not like to insult you but I think I'll pass."  
  
Joey rolled his eyes at Kaiba. "Kaiba, you are pathetic."  
  
"Well, we'll see who wins this girl. The dweeb or the good guy."  
  
"Don't make me laugh."  
  
Duke was looking down at his own stick as he heard Mokuba's voice saying. 'Seto! Can I have yours?'  
  
Duke looked bravely at it and then threw it down but it never hit the ground as Yugi snatched it out of the air and Duke ran for the bushes. Téa and Serenity looked sick as Tristan was bravely chomping down on it.  
  
"I don't think I quite got your name," Serenity asked as she tried to start conversation.  
  
"Serena," she answered quickly.  
  
"I'm sorry your highness, I didn't hear you."  
  
"You don't need to know my name," Serena answered coldly as she got up. "Put the fire out then get some sleep once you're done. We leave early tomorrow morning."  
  
"You think her leaving is safe?"  
  
"I just dare you to try and stop her."  
  
* * *  
  
"There was a fight here." Allen said as he touched the ground still wet with dragon blood.  
  
"Do you think Princess Serena's okay?" Varie pleaded with him.  
  
"There's no other blood besides the dragon blood. I'm sure she's alright."  
  
Varie stuck her nose in the air and sniffed then ran off. "Varie!"  
  
"I smell something! This way!" Allen and Merle finally caught up to Varie. Merle looked down and sniffed at the lumps on the ground. One small one turned over and grabbed her. It grabbed onto her tail and wouldn't let go of it.  
  
Seto Kaiba was watching from the shadow as he saw Yugi. "Yugi," he snorted. "That kid still sucks his thumb in his sleep. It's pitiful."  
  
Merle felt him bite down on her tail as she hissed and meowed.  
  
"No! My hamburger!" Merle broke free out of his grasp and began nursing her throbbing tail then her eyes lit up as she saw the Millennium puzzle. She grabbed the chain in her mouth and ran off with it.  
  
* * *  
  
Serena waded far into the lake and pulled off her shirt to wash up. She was filthy and covered with dragon blood and she had no idea when she was getting home. But she had to be careful not to go in too deep, she had never swum in her life. Once she was clean she made her way to her bag and pulled on the long open necked, vest like dress. She tied the long stripped belt around her as she took a bone comb and began combing her hair. As she sat down on the ground she slid her long wings out of her spine and stretched them. It had been so long.  
  
Serena tied her sword to the cloth belt and slid the dagger under her dress. It felt good to have her wings out again but she was regretting it as she heard the snap of a twig. Serena's eyes scanned the area cautiously. She knew something was out there.  
  
"Princess Serena! Princess Serena!"  
  
Serena looked up to see Varie racing towards her in absolute joy. "Princess Serena!" she yelled as she jumped on her and unabashedly began licking her.  
  
"Varie! Get down!" Serena was laughing as she pushed the cat girl down then she saw something in the shadows. "Stay here Varie."  
  
"Okay Princess Serena!"  
  
"And quit calling me Princess." Serena went over to the bushes and smacked them with the flat of her blade and something jumped from them. Varie screamed and climbed up the tree.  
  
"It's alright Varie. It's just him."  
  
Joey was glaring at the princess as he rubbed his soar arm. "Ya didn't have to hit me so hard."  
  
"You deserved it," Serena angrily snarled at him as she put her sword away again and Joey felt some thing drop on his back. He turned around trying to see it.  
  
"Look Princess Serena! It's chasing its tail!" Varie looked down and patted his hair as she looked curiously and then started chewing on it.  
  
"Git off!"  
  
Serena showed a very small smile as she looked down.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Yipee! Princess Serena smiled!" Varie jumped off him as she began licking Serena.  
  
"Yer name's Serena?"  
  
"Yes," she said coldly as she headed towards the camp.  
  
"Listen Princess."  
  
"Unless you want to apologize I suggest you shut your mouth."  
  
"I guess yer a little burned. Listen, I didn't know you were taking a bath. But if it means anything you're in real good shape and quite pretty. I shouldn't have been watching, I'm sorry."  
  
"It isn't about you watching me take a bath!" Serena yelled as she took off and Joey hurried after her.  
  
"Then what is it about Princess?"  
  
She shook her head. "You saw, you saw," tears were streaming down her face as 0she tried again. "You saw what I was!"  
  
"And what is dat? An Angel? Really, I think dere pretty."  
  
Serena grabbed his shirt as she turned towards him. "Don't tell anyone, please."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"If anyone found out they would be so terrified of me. It wouldn't do for my people to be terrified of me."  
  
"I smell love," Varie muttered to herself.  
  
Joey turned as he heard a yell, sounding like Yugi. "Yuge! I'm commin!"  
  
Serena tore down the pathway with Varie on all fours running on her heels. Joey came just behind her and she saw the tri-colored haired kid screaming with a Guymelef bearing a sword pointed at him. There were two Zaiboc Guymelefs, one that was threatening Yugi and a red one. Also surrounding them were several Ispano Guymelefs and many other types. Two were caught in a fight with a blue-cloaked Asturian Guymelef.  
  
"Allen! It's Scherezade!"  
  
"Hand over Serena Kanzaki de Fanel and we'll let you go peacefully," the Guymelef ordered Yugi. Yugi was of course too scared to do anything except start crying.  
  
"My puzzle's gone!"  
  
"Should we be worried Princess Serena?"  
  
"No Varie, Allen is here with Scherezade." Suddenly the sword of the red Guymelef went through Scherezade as it fell. The red Guymelef, the same one that had murdered Sakuyo. Serena felt her anger building.  
  
"I am Serena Kanzaki de Fanel! Come out and face me!"  
  
The red Guymelef turned towards her and she saw the Crimson Claw coming her way but stood bravely as she held her sword up. I hope this gives everyone enough time. Take care of yourself Varie. I will be joining Sakuyo today.  
  
"NO!" Serena heard the yell from two separate places as one Zaiboc Guymelef fought off the red one.  
  
"Wheeler! You're crazy!" Joey jumped on Serena and pulled her out of the way but she got back up.  
  
"Idiot! Get out of here!"  
  
"I'm not gonna leave ya."  
  
Serena shoved him away. "I said leave! Take Varie and your friends and leave. Some one needs to alert my father. Varie will take you to Fanelia."  
  
"Princess Serena!"  
  
"Go Varie! Take the strangers from the Mystic Moon and tell my father."  
  
"I'm not leaving you Princess Serena!"  
  
The ground cracked under their feet and threw both Joey and Varie back.  
  
"Princess Serena! Don't do this!"  
  
Serena used the psychic abilities that she had honed as a Draconian and sent Varie back. But she didn't notice the Crimson Claw that drove through her shoulder. The pain was like nothing she had felt before. She barely saw a new Ispano Guymelef merging forward as the Crimson Claw was sliced off and slowly pulled out of her shoulder. A second Fanelian Guymelef joined them and attacked the red Guymelef. It fell and the white haired man inside stepped out.  
  
"Hitomi Kanzaki! You are finished!"  
  
"Guess again Dilandau."  
  
"Please Hitomi, don't kill my sister."  
  
Van raced after Dilandau on foot and managed to slice his cheek before he escaped along with the others.  
  
Joey looked confused. "That was a girl?" 


	3. The Princess Awakes

"Come on your Highness. It's time to get up."  
  
Serena painfully opened her eyes into the morning sunlight at the sound of the familiar voice. She winced as she touched her bandaged shoulder. The blond stranger from the Mystic Moon was standing over her and he almost looked quite cute but then he opened his mouth and she remembered why she couldn't stand him in the first place.  
  
"How ya doin?"  
  
Serena groaned. "How come whatever I do I just cannot get rid of you?"  
  
The brunette stranger came up to her and jerked his thumb in the blond's direction. "Because Wheeler's like a germ. However hard you scrub he's still there just to annoy you. I on the other hand am here to help you."  
  
Oh great, mister smooth here is about as bad as Allen Schezar.  
  
"You are so full of crap Kaiba," the blond complained as he rolled his eyes.  
  
Serena sighed, "I've just about had enough of you two."  
  
"Sorry Princess," they both said in the same tone. For a moment they looked almost identical, hair and eyes excepting.  
  
Serena glanced from one to the other curiously. "Are you two twins? You sure look like it."  
  
The brunette looked about to have a heart attack and the blond started coughing.  
  
"I guess not." Serena got out of the bed and both of them turned red as she slid on a wrap dress and tied a stripped cloth belt around it. But she didn't seem to care that they were there. "So who are you people?"  
  
They looked shocked to be certain.  
  
"I'm Seto Kaiba," the brunette said.  
  
"Joseph Wheeler."  
  
"Well, Seto, Joseph, welcome to Fanelia." Serena said as she pushed open the window and they could see the gardens of Fanelia down below. They stood silent in awe. Serena pulled on a pair of flat sandals and rose on her tiptoes to kiss both on the cheek. Both the duelists blushed hotly.  
  
"My father wishes to speak with both of you."  
  
"Father?" They echoed and it suddenly hit both of them and Joey was glad to see that Kaiba was as nervous as he was.  
  
* * *  
  
Merle crinkled her nose as she walked in circles around the kid with the multi-colored spiky hair. She puffed up her tail as she hissed and saw his weird look.  
  
"You're weird!" she complained.  
  
"Merle, quit torturing the poor kid."  
  
"Yes Hitomi," she said snidely.  
  
Van was looking around, looking bored.  
  
"So, did you meet them?"  
  
"Yes," he said abruptly. "I don't like this."  
  
"You worried?"  
  
"Oh, not about that. Neither is Serena's type but I suspect the enemy forces to return. They dared attack openly this time."  
  
"Yes, they did," Hitomi mused. She looked up to see Varie jumping on Serena. Hitomi couldn't help but smile as she watched them but the presence of the strangers from the Mystic Moon bothered her as well.  
  
"Serena," Van said forcefully.  
  
"Yes father?"  
  
"You will be leading the army as commander once again. There is no one else to since the deaths of both Sakuyo and Allen."  
  
Serena bowed her head gracefully. "I humbly accept this honor, father."  
  
"Escaflowne will be put at your disposal once you have completed your coronation. Now prepare."  
  
Serena bit her lip lightly as she watched her parents leave. She slid her sword back into the sheathe as they left the gardens. She felt almost sick as she sat down on the grass. The time had finally come for her to become Queen of all of Fanelia.  
  
"Princess Serena!" Varie laid her head down on Serena's lap. "What's wrong Princess Serena?"  
  
"My coronation will be this afternoon Varie. I'm worried."  
  
"Why Princess Serena?" Serena smiled at her old friend then got back to her feet.  
  
"Varie, I'm visiting the house."  
  
"Say hi for me!"  
  
* * *  
  
Kalina Bakura brushed her hair out of the face as she set the two tiny cat girls down on the mattresses. She had taken care of the children for years now and she wouldn't trade it for anything. Or at least anything but maybe seeing her twin brother, Ryou, one more time. She had no idea how she had ended up on the strange planet but she missed him. They had been ten when they had last seen each other and even then they had still looked exactly alike. She wore her layered white hair slightly longer but it was still rather short.  
  
"Hey Kali."  
  
"Hi Serena, having fun?"  
  
Serena sat down next to her. "Oh, sure, absolutely wonderful. Got beaten up by Dilandau while dealing with these blasted strangers from the Mystic Moon and their wonderful Duel Monsters," Serena muttered sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.  
  
"Duel Monsters?" Kalina echoed. She knew of Duel Monsters. Ryou had played the game often and both her and Ryou had items to do with the game. "Do any of these strangers have white hair?" she asked with a questioning look.  
  
"Nope, but we've got about every other color in the spectrum. Even a kid with black, red, and blonde hair."  
  
"Smaller than you?" Kalina asked as she tossed Serena a drink.  
  
"You're pushing it Kali."  
  
"So other than that?"  
  
Serena sighed, "you know my coronation is today."  
  
"Yes, I do. Are you worried?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Your mother hasn't been by recently," Kalina said quietly.  
  
"Quit trying to change the subject."  
  
"Of, course, I wouldn't dare undermine you, your highness."  
  
Serena narrowed her eyes at Kalina with her innocent smile. "You're mocking me!"  
  
"I would never!"  
  
"Yeah," she snorted, "as soon as I'm Empress of Zaiboc."  
  
"For a princess you can be awfully snide. So do you have your sights set on anyone? After all, your mother came from there."  
  
Serena sat down and a small cat girl came up and started playing with her hair. "I just don't know anymore Kalina. There was once I thought that love was possible but now I'm not so sure. With Allen of the Duchy of Freid missing and Sakuyo dead my parents have been having meetings with a rich merchant from Asturia. He has a son that they may want me to be wed to. Of course Millerna and Dryden have a say since it will be deciding the new king of Asturia. But I've met this guy. His ego is this big," Serena held her hands apart as far as they could go.  
  
"Well, you are the only heir to the throne of Asturia since your child died."  
  
"I couldn't condemn a child to a life like this. Besides, it was a girl!"  
  
Kalina smiled as she began tucking the little cat children into bed and she looked at her dear friend. "I'll be there tonight Serena. Take care of yourself, and no more playing with Zaiboc guymelefs."  
  
Serena flopped down on the ground. "Has anyone not heard of that?"  
  
"Well, it isn't everyday that the High Princess Serena Diana Kanzaki de Fanel takes on the guymelef of Dilandau Albatau single-handedly and lives to tell the tale."  
  
"I just sure hope this hasn't inspired some of those kids to go on their own suicide missions. Sometimes being a public figure sucks. Scratch that, all the time it does." 


	4. The Ascension to the Throne

"I gift you this sword Serena Fanel as a sign of the beginning of your rule," the priest handed Serena a sword as she took it the sun glinted off the metal edge.  
"May the dragons always protect you."  
Serena bowed her head as she turned and the Fanelian Samurai bowed to acknowledge their new leader.  
"Your Highness, we have prepared a Guymelef match in your honor."  
"Thank you General Osidia. I would greatly enjoy that."  
"I hope that your guests will attend as well."  
"Of course," Serena said as she smiled and walked past.  
"Uh, Serena?" Seto Kaiba looked up at her and yelped as the cat girl, Varie, scratched him.  
"That's the problem with you outlanders, you have no manners!" Her tail puffed up as she circled Kaiba. "You don't call her royal highness by her first name like she was a commoner. Show some sense!"  
"Sorry," he said as he cautiously backed away.  
"And you will address me as Princess Varie!"  
"Very well, Princess Varie."  
"What is it Sir Kaiba?"  
Seto stood there shocked in her sudden formality. "I was wondering if you would allow me to sit by you during the Guymelef match, maybe you could show me around Fanelia." Seto was stuttering and his face turned red as she smiled softly up at him.  
"I would be glad to do so Sir Kaiba."  
"Your highness, if Paroto was to see you with another man ..."  
"Silence Varie. Paroto should not care what I do. Our marriage is arranged by meddling parents and we each have our own interests."  
Serena grabbed Seto's arm and slid hers through his. "Just go straight ahead and follow the General, he'll lead us to the seats."  
"Of course, your highness."  
"And do me a favor, don't listen to Varie. I'd prefer if you would address me as 'Serena'."  
"Very well Serena, may I ask you to address me by my first name?"  
"I have no qualms about that Seto."  
Joey stiffened as he saw the Queen on Kaiba's arm. The war had begun and he wasn't going to let rich boy Kaiba win.  
  
Ryou Bakura opened his eyes. He was inside a metal chamber with latches holding him in place. He could feel his Yami inside his mind but he wasn't doing anything.  
"Please Yami, help me. I don't want to die."  
"Why should I? You wanted to be free."  
"Well, spirit of the ring, if he dies we all do."  
"Silence Marik!"  
"Can you two do anything but argue?"  
"We aren't arguing Ryou."  
"Yami, Marik, you're arguing and it is both of your faults that I lost my body in that duel."  
"Let the match begin," a man's voice said and Ryou peered through the faceplate.  
"I don't like this," neither his Yami nor Marik responded. "Oh, great, now I'm alone."  
"Well we wouldn't be in this situation if some one had won me back my body."  
"If I recall correctly you weren't much help during that duel."  
"If it wasn't for me you would never have gotten the Winged Dragon of Ra."  
"Yeah, too bad that, because of you it had ZERO ATTACK POINTS!"  
"That trap card slipped my mind," Marik told him.  
"Did the abilities slip your mind too? Like being able to add your life points to its attack points or the fact that it could attack in the same turn?"  
"Every one! Quiet!"  
Suddenly something crashed into them and the metal encasement shook. "There's a machine duel monster out there and it's trying to kill us!"  
"Well then do something about it!"  
"Why don't you sic your wonderful Ra on it?"  
"Because you lost it!"  
A sword hurried towards them and Ryou lifted his arms up and tried to shield his face and he saw the sword intersected with another sword.  
"Ryou! You did it!"  
"I'm inside the duel monster?"  
"We better get out of this alive, I have a body to win back since some one lost it."  
"You lost your own body Marik so leave me out of it!"  
"I'll give you the Millennium Rod," Marik taunted.  
"Let's go find the freaky Marik!"  
"Uh spirits, we are kind of in the middle of something."  
"Oh yeah, that's right."  
"Who ever you are come out of that Guymelef right now!"  
Ryou finally managed to get out after several minutes and he stood there a bit nervous.  
"Ryou!" A female voice called to him and he saw a woman running to him. He couldn't believe his eyes, it was Kalina, his sister. The spirit of the ring had trapped her in the shadow realm five years previous.  
"Talk about bad news."  
"Quiet spirit of the ring."  
Kalina grabbed Ryou and hugged him tightly, "Ryou! It's been so long." 


	5. Under Attack

"What was that noise?" Serena turned back towards Seto as the ground shook once again.  
  
"We're under attack," she said as she turned away and headed towards the other side of the room. "General Alophis! Ready the Guymelefs."  
  
"Of course, your highness."  
  
Serena stormed past Seto as he tried to rest a hand on her. Every one of his advances had failed for the past three weeks. Her royal highness was colder than ever to him.  
  
"Seto, you and your friends will follow Varie into the caves. A battle field is no place for any of you."  
  
Varie looked up curiously at Serena. "But Lady Serena," she whined.  
  
"Varie! You will lead them through the caves or I shall execute you personally. Is that understood?"  
  
"Yes milady."  
  
"Father! Gather every man who can fight. The rest will retreat to the caves. Fanelia will give those bastards a fight like they've never seen."  
  
Van nodded and smiled at his daughter's high spirits but he knew better than to hope for a miracle.  
  
"I need all the Guymelefs out. We need to hold the enemy forces off." Serena shot a look at Seto who was still standing there. His little brother Mokuba hid from her glare. "I told you to leave."  
  
"I don't want to leave you here."  
  
Without a moment's notice Serena spun around and stopped just as her sword blade touched the bare skin of Seto's throat. "I don't want to see any heroic delusions. You have no business in this war. The only reason you are in my palace is that your blond friend helped me. Get that straight!"  
  
"She's worse den you are Kaiba."  
  
"Shut up Wheeler," Seto growled as Joey stepped forward followed by the rest of the group.  
  
Serena raced down the steps and headed towards the Guymelef, Escaflowne. "I want every able bodied man out there fighting," Serena said as she spun around towards her father.  
  
"What about us?" Duke asked as Serena glared at them.  
  
"Take the caves with Varie and at least try to keep out of danger."  
  
"Well, we're tired of being dragged around. You promised to send us home but you haven't done a thing about it yet."  
  
Serena brushed past him and ignored his argument as she ran towards Escaflowne and light-footedly leapt towards the control box.  
  
"The caves are this way," Varie yelled as she ran out. There was already a crowd of women and children following her. Mokuba stood there in shock as he saw a boy not much older than him being suited up in armor. His mother wept openly as she placed the helmet on his head.  
  
Mokuba felt a hand on his shoulder and gasped as he saw the Queen Mother standing behind him. "It's always hard to see your loved ones go off to a war. I should know. Every day I wake up I fear that this may be the day I lose my husband and daughter."  
  
"Would you please quit scaring my brother?" Seto swallowed as the Queen Mother looking as regal as ever looked straight at him.  
  
"I was merely trying to help him understand Mr. Kaiba."  
  
"He doesn't need to understand this."  
  
* * *  
  
"Burn! Burn ghost! Burn!" They had almost made it to the caves but the red guymelef was blocking their way.  
  
"It's Dilandau," Varie hissed as the flame opened towards them and everyone dodge but most were not fast enough. Everyone who was hit was to be left behind.  
  
"Yuge is it bad," Joey was on the ground as Yugi sat there next to his closest friend writhing on the ground.  
  
"We need to leave."  
  
"But what about Joey," Tristan said angrily.  
  
"He'll slow us down. Leave him behind!" The queen's bodyguards grabbed them and pulled them away as they thrashed in the grasps.  
  
"Big brother! Big brother!"  
  
Serena stumbled out of the wreckage in Escaflowne. There was almost nothing left of Fanelia but little did she know that this was the beginning of the end for all of Gaia. She looked up and saw the ship lifting off with the injured, including her father and then as it disappeared she took a step forward, away from Fanelia. 


	6. Natural Medicine and Thoughts of the Pas...

"How could you be so mean!" Téa yelled at Varie but the cat girl continued to ignore her.  
  
"I have my orders," she said. She didn't want to do it but it was orders. Varie was finding it increasingly harder each day to follow the orders. "Sacrifices must be made."  
  
Yugi looked over at Varie in shock. "She seems to be torn Yugi."  
  
"I know that Yami. But how can we help her?"  
  
"I don't know. She isn't like anyone we've faced before. She isn't evil."  
  
Varie suddenly ran off and then tripped and Serenity helped her up. Bakura snorted in disgust at the sight of Varie and it was obvious his evil spirit had taken over again.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm worried about Serena. She's all alone out there," Varie sniffed as she wiped her tears. "I know she's always alone but she doesn't have to be."  
  
Yugi sat down next to her as she sniffed. It all suddenly made sense. Varie was loyal to only Serena but the problem was that Serena was cold and could be ruthless. "If she isn't going to respect you why try?"  
  
"Oh no Yugi. Deep inside she's a very caring person. She just needs to hide it."  
  
"Hide it?"  
  
Her eyes widened. "If she was weak do you know what the enemies could do to her?" Yugi didn't quite understand this but he was sure that this girl needed help.  
  
* * *  
  
Serena urged Escaflowne forward but then on the ground she saw a glint of golden color and white cloth whipping in the air. She knelt down and saw that it was one of the strangers from the Mystic Moon. She gingerly brought down the Guymelef's hand when he woke up and started to panic and then calmed as her faceplate separated.  
  
"Oh, it's you," he said in a dry tone.  
  
"I suggest you watch it. I could just leave you here to die."  
  
"Uh no thanks."  
  
"Alright, do you mind heights?"  
  
"Heights?" Joey said as he looked confused. He didn't mind being up high as long as it didn't include flying. He thought back to the blimp and how sick he had gotten.  
  
"Okay, let me put you down for a minute." Joey jumped off the huge robot's hand as he watched the robot change form into a white dragon. Serena was standing in a small box on top of it as she reached a hand out to him. Joey noticed several cuts on her arms and face but didn't mention anything about it. She seemed not to even had noticed them.  
  
He took her hand as she pulled him up. "I'll see what I can do about those burns when we get into the forest. We're in the middle of a war zone at the moment."  
  
"Oh really, I never noticed," he glared a bit numbly as he said it with full sarcasm.  
  
"Sarcasm does not make you any more attractive. Neither does that glare you're trying to give me."  
  
"Well, I can take care of myself." Joey suddenly felt his stomach lurch as Escaflowne spread its wings and surged upwards.  
It felt like forever to Joey by the time they landed. He was sitting there not feeling the best when Serena came back with a handful of plants. She crushed them in her hands until they formed a paste.  
"Come here."  
"Huh?"  
Serena raised an eyebrow. "I suggest you listen."  
"Uh, yeah."  
"Then come here and take off your shirt." Joey sat there in shock while Serena waited sat on the ground.  
"I don't care who ya think ya are, yer highness. I ain't takin off my shirt fer no girl!"  
She stood up and shoved the paste into his hands. "Then you put it on you jerk!"  
"Listen up yer highness, I ain't one of yer subjects so quit actin all high and mighty."  
"I was trying to help." Serena turned away, her mind running back to all the battles she had fought. The reason she always got away unharmed is because they had always kept her out of the real fight. She could never help anyone while being herself. She was expected to be a lady but she had been trained to fight.  
"What's dis stuff?"  
"It's a type of plant that heals skin and soothes pain. All our medicines here are natural." Serena turned away from him as she gathered up the plants she had put down. She wondered if dealing with her mother had been this infuriating.  
"It smells."  
"I never said it would smell good."  
"A'righ," Joey blushed in sudden embarrassment. "Think ya could help me?"  
"Sure," Serena gave the first genuine smile Joey had ever seen on her face as she helped him out then offered him some roots. "You weren't looking all that well but we have more flying to do."  
"Uh, yeah."  
"You should have told me you get airsick."  
'Why is this girl suddenly being so nice to me? She is kinda cute.' Joey shook his head as he realized he couldn't keep his eyes off the Queen. 'No! She ain't from where I am. Besides, I still gotta go back and there are others.'  
"Here," Serena handed him some roots. "Chew on these, the juices will help quell your nausea. Don't swallow them though, just the juices. The actual plant is poisonous but the juices are not."  
Joey paled as he heard this. 'Great! Now she's trying to poison me!'  
"No I'm not," she said as she jumped back onto Escaflowne. She didn't answer to Joey's weird look.  
'Did she just read my mind?' Joey nervously chewed on the root and then stuck his tongue out with a disgusted look on his face.  
"Dese taste awful!"  
"I didn't promise Pisanos," Serena said flippantly as Escaflowne took off again and Joey leaned back and wished the ride would end soon.  
"Pisanos?" Joey asked as his curiosity piqued.  
"Yes, they're a very sweet fruit originally from Atlantis. My grandmother and her people carried several plants back and one was planted in the gardens of Fanelia. They blossomed there. They made excellent wine when done the right way but my mother wouldn't tell anyone how she made the wine. No one could ever get enough of her wine. We even had Duke Chid and Duchess Merle dancing on the tables once." Serena let a smile escape in reminisce. Then she grew serious again. "But even if it hasn't been destroyed yet it will be."  
"Ya don't really mean that do ya, yer highness." Joey said between the root in his mouth. He was surprised that it was actually working.  
"Yes, I do. They will leave nothing standing. The land of Fanelia will never recover but its people are still alive. We'll live on."  
Joey looked away from her as she sat there in silence. 


	7. Action and Reaction

"Look out!" Serena opened her eyes as she guided Escaflowne out of the way of danger. She was struggling to keep awake after three days but the strong wind was making things hard.  
  
"Yeah, I get it."  
  
"Well, I don't wanna die."  
  
"Don't worry," suddenly Serena glanced up. "Okay now you can start worrying," she said as an oval line of grey shot towards them and Serena barely jerked out of the way and landed.  
  
"Get out! There's a cave over there, hide in it. If I'm not back by the time the others come through go without me."  
  
Joey nodded his head a jumped out of Escaflowne as it changed into the huge robot again. He swallowed hard as another giant robot came out of the shadows.  
  
"So, it's this antique again." Serena recognized the voice of Celena Schezar, or Dilandau, whichever one he, she, it, whatever was at the moment. All Serena knew is that her father had done something to make an enemy even though Serena herself had been slightly named after her.  
  
"Yes, what do you want?"  
  
"The death of the Royal House of Fanelia."  
  
"You'll have to get through me first!" Serena yelled as Escaflowne reached back and grabbed the sword.  
  
"I'd be only too glad to." There was a spark as metal clashed on metal in a sight that caused Joey to shiver.  
  
Serena felt an old scar down the side of her face suddenly split open as she rushed at her opponent and the red Guymelef slid across the ground and Dilandau came out. Serena jumped out of Escaflowne, the blood dripping down the side of her face as she grabbed the sword from her sheath and caught the attack that Dilandau intended for her. She blocked it as his blade slid along the edge of hers and used her weight the throw him back.  
  
"Nice face, your highness." Serena sliced towards him and reopened the old scar on his face that her father had left there.  
  
"Same to you Celena, Dilandau, who ever you are." Serena blocked the next blow and soon they were sweating as Dilandau decided to retreat.  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
"I thought I told you to stay hidden," Serena snarled at him but Joey wasn't dissuaded as he caught her wrist in his hand and looked down at her. "I don't want ya hurt."  
  
The one thing Joey didn't see was Seto Kaiba standing there beside the cat girl Varie as he leaned down and kissed the Queen softly.  
  
* * *  
  
"That jerk! He did that on purpose!" Seto was fuming as he sat down in the cave. Serenity and Yugi were glad of course to be reunited with Joey but Kaiba wasn't.  
  
"Mutt!" He stood in front of Joey as the blond looked up. "Stay away from my girl!"  
  
"Your girl? Since when did she become yer girl?"  
  
"Since she's into me, not some no good third rate dreg."  
  
"Oh, wonderful insult. Wonder if you'll ever come up with anything original."  
  
Varie was sitting down in the corner playing with Mokuba's hair when Serena stepped in between the quarrelling boys.  
  
"At the moment I'm no one's 'girl' as you call it. So I suggest you stop arguing about it."  
  
Kaiba growled and Varie just looked down at the ground. "Uh-oh," she muttered as she saw Serena shaking in anger. Serena grabbed his collar and shoved him against the wall. She had a dagger in her hand pointed below his waist.  
  
"I suggest you straighten up or should I make you a eunuch."  
  
Kalina and Ryou looked at each other as they backed into the corner away from the temperamental Queen. Varie amused herself by petting Mokuba's hair as he yawned and fell asleep in her lap.  
  
"Keep out of my way," she snarled as she turned away towards the large area of the cave where Escaflowne was being stored. Kaiba seemed a bit shocked to be certain as she climbed up to the sword in its hands and began working to get the scratches out of it with a large tool.  
  
"It's so cute," Varie said as she continued petting Mokuba's head.  
  
"Never call my brother an 'it'," Kaiba growled as he got up and shoved Joey against the wall as he walked past. "Just stay out of my way Wheeler. I will command her attention and you won't stop me."  
  
"Nope, I'm just gonna beat ya to it." 


	8. Welcome to the Mystic Moon

"Serena!" Serena turned around and looked at her mother who was holding tightly to her a slender dress. "This is for you when you see the Emperor."  
  
"Thank you mother," Serena took the dress and spread it out on her bed in the Emperor's Palace. She gingerly touched the padding on her cheek as she winced from the stinging. She didn't know how it could have happened but it did. Dilandau never touched her with the blade but it had done it to Escaflowne.  
  
But she had bigger things to worry about; the wound was still bleeding.  
  
"Your highness? May I come in?"  
  
"Enter, Ukenyo." Serena turned to her new servant. The Emperor had provided well for her. Serena wondered if maybe the Emperor had a son. As the only one left of the heirs of the three alliance kingdoms: Asturia, Freid, and Fanelia, much was expected of her.  
  
Ukenyo unzipped Serena's nightgown that she had been wearing and peeled the bandage from her face and replaced it then led her to a large metal tub. She pulled the cloth away from her shoulders and began washing her up and she scrubbed at the wound in her shoulder. It hurt Serena to move her arm and the wound was puffy.  
  
"You shouldn't mess around with it, your highness." She dumped the cold water on Serena's head and she shivered.  
  
"Why does it have to be so cold!"  
  
"I'm sorry your highness."  
  
"Yeah right," Serena muttered as she felt the servant yank at her hair and scrubbed the soap into her scalp.  
  
"The blood has dried in your hair."  
  
"Are you sure it isn't from you trying to yank my hair out of my scalp!" Serena growled as Ukenyo smiled apologetically.  
  
Ukenyo finally finished with Serena's hair and picked up a piece of clothing and wrapped it around her and tightened the strings.  
  
"Mind if I breathe?"  
  
"Your highness, please." Serena sighed as she slipped her arms into the sleeves of the dress and let the servant do her hair. She thought back to earlier that day.  
  
* * *  
  
"You've done well Serena. But you seem distracted." Serena clenched her teeth as her father's sword bit into the skin on her arm. She charged towards her father but she was too late as her father's sword slid from his sweaty hands and the blade cut into her face.  
  
Serena shook her head from the pain but blindly fought it off. The blood was dripping in her face and her eye hurt.  
  
A hand grabbed her to calm her but it didn't help. She couldn't see, blinded by the blood.  
  
* * *  
  
Serena opened her eyes as the servant tied the dress tightly and she touched the scar by her eye. She would never see again out of one of her eyes. But that wasn't what mattered now.  
  
Serena left the room, the train of her dress trailed behind her as she entered the throne room. Each of her parents stood on either side of her.  
  
"Welcome to Avarno your highness."  
  
"Thank you almighty one," Serena bowed low before the Emperor. Her heart pounded as his eyes looked through a craggy face.  
  
"Come to me Fanelia."  
  
Serena stood up and approached and his rough hand touched her face. "You were not meant to be Queen. You have a good heart and a strong passion but they will not be used for good."  
  
Serena looked at him shocked but she didn't say anything.  
  
"How about a casual dinner, and please bring your guests."  
  
"Guests?" Hitomi echoed as she saw the nervous looks on the faces of her husband and daughter.  
  
"Yes, the strangers from the Mystic Moon."  
  
They all bowed but then decided that some training was due for.  
  
* * *  
  
"Ha! I beat you again!" Duke and Tristan were sitting on the ground with a bunch of cards between them. It was a lazy afternoon. Seto was sitting by the window looking out while Bakura, Yugi, and Kalina were talking. Serenity and Téa were outside and Joey was taking a nap on the nearby bed with Mokuba. They had already been in the city for several weeks when the Emperor had finally had time to meet Serena but now they had nothing to do as Varie laid on the shelf above Kaiba and playfully batted at his hair.  
  
Everyone was taking a break from the training for the dinner, even Serena who was looking out the window longingly. Joey rolled over in his sleep and rubbed at the bruise on the side of his face. Kaiba grinned at the fact that Wheeler didn't get away with that act.  
  
"What will it cost you if things get messed up."  
  
Serena shook her head. "I don't know Seto. The Emperor does not think very highly of me but I hope he understands Gaia's need for a complete alliance."  
  
"And if he doesn't?" Seto slid his arm around the queen's waist and pulled her closer to him.  
  
"I don't know." Seto smiled down at her and then took her hand as he got up.  
  
"Let's go for a walk."  
  
* * *  
  
"I wish we were still on earth, then I might have been able to help you."  
  
"It's not money we need, it's military power. And I'm still worried about the Emperor told me."  
  
"That you would only be used for evil?"  
  
"Yes. He's very wise."  
  
"But he's wrong this time." Seto grabbed her wrist and pulled her close. "I know he's wrong. When we go back I want you to come with me. Fanelia is gone and there's nothing for you here. I can give you anything you want."  
  
Serena turned away from him. Everything was happening and she no longer knew how to deal with it.  
  
She finally gave in and started to cry against Seto's shoulder as he ran his fingers through her long hair. "Serena, I promise to take care of you."  
  
As she felt his lips touch her hair and face she jerked away. "My responsibility is to my people, Mr. Kaiba."  
  
"Yeah, no wonder only knights are crazy enough to chase you type. All you care about is your people. Why can't you learn to live?"  
  
She turned away from him and retreated.  
  
* * *  
  
Yugi took a long drink of the dark red liquid as he glanced around the fancy table and suddenly started feeling woozy.  
  
"It appears your Queen is missing," the Emperor mussed. Seto looked at the ground. It was true Serena had disappeared. Kalina was hitting Yugi on the back as he started hiccupping and Bakura just shook his head and tried not to laugh but with little success. When he didn't stop and then fell over everyone laughed. As soon as the royals had left Yugi got up on the table and started singing and doing a tap dance until Téa joined him. Suddenly something was wrong. Varie jumped up on the table as a huge light came down and everything began to break apart.  
  
* * *  
  
'I need to get rid of their leader or else it will all end.' Serena turned back towards the road but she heard a rumble. She saw a huge column of light towards the capital and then ran towards it but was stopped by the cracking of the ground. She narrowed her eyes and let her wings tear out of her back as she lifted off the ground but the shock wave caught her and when she next opened her eyes she was on the ground in a strange place. The sun was shinning in the sky but the Mystic Moon was nowhere to be seen. Her arm was beginning to hurt even more and the wound had grown bigger.  
  
She tried to push herself up but the blood that dripped from all over her body was making her weak.  
  
"I sure hope Escaflowne wasn't destroyed. If it was I'm going to be in a world of pain."  
  
"You don't look like you're in the greatest shape now." Serena swiveled on her side as she faced up a blond man with really spiky hair. He was holding a golden rod in front of her as she reached back for the sword hilt.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"My name is Marik Ishtar and I'll save you only if you aid me."  
  
"I don't need your help." Serena saw the dagger and blocked it with the blade of her sword but it was a close one.  
  
"Yes you do. You're wounded and I have use for you."  
  
"Not on your life," Serena snarled but she needed some serious help if she was going to survive.  
  
"I'm here to help," he said as his rod began glowing and suddenly Serena felt her wounds healing.  
  
Serena got to her feet and moved her arm. It was painless to move it. She touched her face and she could see her hand in front of her left side of her face. She could actually see out of that eye.  
  
She rolled her shoulder lightly and moved her sword with an ease that she could never remember. She rounded it around and then stopped as she put her sword back. "Why did you do that?"  
  
"I need your help."  
  
* * *  
  
"Ow! My head!" They were all standing in KaibaCorp trying to figure out some way to hide the catgirl. Yugi was complaining and Seto put down a large bucket of ice cold water and Joey dunked Yugi's head in it.  
  
"Hey! Hey!" Yugi swung at Joey furiously but he just put his hand out and the small teenager couldn't manage to hit him.  
  
Yugi sat down and Varie began petting his head.  
  
"Will you quit that?"  
  
Varie silently nodded and then started crying and then crawled on the couch and started crying as she curled up next to Joey. "They're all gone. Gaia is gone!"  
  
Mokuba sat there and pet Varie's tail. "Are you going to be okay Varie?"  
  
"Yeah," she sniffed. "I think so." 


	9. I dare you!

"Yugi! Mail!"  
  
Yugi ran down the steps as he turned around to make sure Varie wasn't following him. He had told gramps and now they were just trying to figure out how to keep a cat girl hidden.  
  
Yugi took the mail from his grandfather and opened it. It read:  
  
Welcome duelists. You are invited to the duel monsters tournament of the century, . . . again.  
  
Yugi laughed as Varie jumped on top of the couch and peered over his shoulder. "I wanna go!" She pointed at the bottom where it said 'one guest allowed per duelist.'  
  
"No way! We couldn't hide you!"  
  
"Please Yugi," she pleaded as she laid on top of the couch and suddenly got interested in batting at his hair and then bit it and just hurt her teeth.  
  
* * *  
  
"Do you find your clothes suitable." Serena gave Marik a disgusted look as she dumped the thick cloak on the ground again.  
  
"I'm not going to wear that." He threw a duel disk to her and she caught it.  
  
"Chose the rare cards you want to finish off your deck," Serena nodded and walked to a table and picked up several cards: Saint Joan and Guardian Angel Joan. "I'm ready."  
  
* * *  
  
"Welcome duelists to the battle city finals. Please head to your rooms right away." Varie eagerly jumped up. She had been forced to wear a long dress and a bandana to try to hide her ears and tail. They were then introduced to the four new duelists. Bakura had disappeared upon their return and so had his sister Kalina.  
  
"This is Marie, she is a professional with light monsters. Then both Duke and Mokuba have made it in."  
  
"And the fourth?"  
  
"I'm the fourth." The person stepped forward looking disgusted in their rare hunter cloak.  
  
"Ya chicken! Take off yer cloak and let's see ya!" Marik gave a slight nod and Serena sighed and dropped her cloak off and that caused everyone to freeze.  
  
"Your highness?"  
  
"Serena!" Kaiba sat there in sudden shock.  
  
"Quit gawking, it's time to duel."  
  
"We leave in ten minutes."  
  
Joey left for the outside to get a few breaths of air because he remembered the last blimp ride. He had gotten so sick.  
  
"Are you Joseph Wheeler?"  
  
"Yeah," Joey turned around and looked at the figure. He recognized the woman as Ishizu Ishtar.  
  
"This card rightfully belongs to you," she said as she handed him a card. It had no attack or defense written and had no stars as well.  
  
"You need not sacrifice to summon it and it automatically becomes undefeatable because when it is played it summons the four Egyptian God cards."  
  
"Four?"  
  
"Yes, Obelisk the Tormentor, Slifer the Sky Dragon, the Winged Dragon of Ra, and Nekolo the Mystical Fury of the Sphinx."  
  
"Ya sure ya wanted me?"  
  
"Yes Joseph, you are the chosen one of this card, Morgador the Dragon of Death."  
  
Joey took the card shaking slightly as he put it in his deck and returned to the blimp.  
  
"Joey! Where have you been?"  
  
"Well, now I'm right here Yuge." He shivered as he saw Serena standing there looking as cool and cold as ever. Or maybe even more so. Her stance was even more regal than Joey or Seto remembered as she walked past them.  
  
"One side note boys, keep out of my way."  
  
"I think we're in trouble," Varie whispered.  
  
* * *  
  
"I seemed to notice that you were a bit cautious. You know them?"  
  
"Of course I do, Master Marik." Serena turned away. "Seto Kaiba asked me to come back with him."  
  
"Sounds like love to me." Marik's voice abandoned her as she heard a knock on her door and she went to open it. Seto Kaiba was standing there poised ready to knock again.  
  
"Why are you working with him?"  
  
She turned coldly away and Seto stepped forward just to walk into the now closed door.  
  
"Some lady's man yeh are."  
  
"Shut up mutt." Seto rubbed his face it was pretty sore. Joey left as he continued laughing at the teenage CEO. After what seemed like forever Serena finally opened to door. Seto was sitting on the ground outside of her door. "So, are you just going to sit here or do you want to come in?"  
  
Seto stood up and turned in shock towards the queen. Her face was pale and she seemed worn out.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
Her eyes sharpened as she turned towards him. "I'm fine," her voice was low and cold, even colder than most. Her eyes turned towards the window as she sat down on her bed and Seto leaned closely to her. Serena certainly wasn't sure about this as she moved away.  
  
"What are you worried about?"  
  
"Nothing," she turned away but Seto grabbed her and knelt down. His lips brushed her face.  
  
Father, mother, Allen, Sakuyo, they're all gone. How can I do this? What's happening in Fanelia? What about my people? Serena stopped thinking as she felt her head jerk upwards in the embrace.  
  
* * *  
  
Serena woke in the morning light. The duels would be beginning and she was no longer so certain about everything. Her head was pounding as she froze. She wasn't alone in her bed.  
  
"Kaiba," she hissed and before Seto Kaiba, CEO of KaibaCorp, knew he was on the floor with a very riled up queen looking over him. She threw his clothes towards him and stood up as she dressed. Suddenly Kaiba jerked to the side as a dagger was thrown right beside his head.  
  
"I take it you're a little pissed off?" Serena stood up and pulled on her clothes. "I hope you packed your bags Kaiba. Because you're going down today."  
  
Seto smirked, "have fun trying. You won't even make it as far as the mutt." Serena measured him with a glare.  
  
"I'll enjoy crushing you for a final time Kaiba."  
  
"You have your own arena your highness but now you are in mine."  
  
A smirk flickered across her face. "You may be good Kaiba but I was Gaia's Master Strategist. I've been fighting full scale wars while you were still sucking your thumb." 


	10. I Think They're Beautiful

Yugi was picking at the food on his plate as he looked at his two friends who were still in the finals, Duke and Joey. Finally after what seemed like forever Kaiba finally called everything to a start.  
  
"The duelist numbers are as is; One: me, two: Joey Wheeler, three: Yugi Mutou, four: Mokuba Kaiba, five: Duke Devlin, six: Marie, seven: Marik Ishtar, and eight: Serena Kanzaki."  
  
The huge selector rose from the ground and Serena raised an eyebrow. Obviously this type of technology was new to her.  
  
Slowly one ball fell out followed by the next one in a separate hole. "Duelist number two: Joey Wheeler verses duelist number five: Duke Devlin."  
  
Duke and Joey shot a look at each other. "Only one way this is going to end buddy."  
  
"Yeah, it's payback time. I'm gonna put you in dat dog suit dis time."  
  
"You wish!" Duke snapped back at him. Varie jumped up in her excitement as she looked around. A large hat had been pulled on her head and her tail stuffed inside her pant's leg. She gave a new meaning to hyper but it hadn't helped that she had found the kitchen on the blimp and had been amazed by a new edible substance called 'sugar' along with a strange brown liquid known to contain 'caffeine'.  
  
She continued to bounce until Yugi jumped on her to try to hold her down. It didn't work all that well considering Varie was almost as tall as Joey was. She had always been quite a contrast to Serena who barely passed Yugi in height. However much Varie went through she still dealt with things with the innocence of a child.  
  
Yugi looked up to see the downcast look across the arena. The hood shielded her face but he could still see the glimmer of small tears in the mismatched eyes. She didn't want to be here. She hated this place. She wanted to be home.  
  
"Serena?" Yugi questioned the older woman as he found himself standing in front of her. Her face turned to the hard stone that Yugi was so used to. He had seen the same expression on Kaiba's face many times. He knew Yami was sensing the inner turmoil within her.  
  
"Leave me alone Yugi. Nothing's wrong."  
  
"Nobody would believe that!"  
  
"Varie would."  
  
"This isn't like you!" The princess turned away from him suddenly and started to walk.  
  
"You can't hide it," Varie said stiffly.  
  
Serena ignored them as she felt the hard, reassuring pressure of her sword pressed to her outer thigh. Her life was full of dark secrets, that's they way it would always be. She would never love again, she had decided that years ago but Serena was finding it harder each day now. She needed to get out of there.  
  
"Dis is yer last chance Dukey-boy."  
  
"Yeah right Wheeler! Let's duel!"  
  
The two once opponents and now opponents again stood their ground against each other. The stakes were furthering in the finals but whoever won would be fine by Yugi and the rest of them.  
  
"I'll go first, Yaranzo in attack mode."  
  
"Axe raider and one card face down."

* * *

Serena threw her cloak into her room and then went to the large exercise room She didn't care that Varie was following her. She grabbed the hilt of her sword, bringing the blade up to her face. The most recent nicks had not been worked out of it. The Fanelian insignia showed red and gold above the hilt in unmatched beauty in the former Queen's eyes.  
  
Serena took a deep breath as she held it into position and then stepped forward while bringing it into a guard position. The steps became delicate as she whispered her count. "One, two, three, four..."  
  
"Why do you always have to do this," a familiar voice asked Serena as she let a playful smile grace her lips.  
  
"Varie. It helps me focus."  
  
The cat girl looked up from her place on the floor. "Wouldn't it help if you were fighting some one?"  
  
Serena rested her hand on her hip while clenching her sword. "It would Varie but I don't see that I have got a choice."  
  
Varie looked up disappointed at the expression on Serena's face. "Does it really matter?"  
  
"You know it does Varie," Serena's glare was turned on her as she stood there. Serena shut her eyes and could remember every scar she had received. Going into her forms was not going to keep her trim. Her eye and shoulder had been healed but she had not wanted to say goodbye to her scars. They had reminded her of the sacrifices she had made towards the war effort.  
  
Serena's nimble fingers undid the braid and knotted it a bit in the back of her head. She brought her sword up and stepped back into a guard position with her eyes closed. She felt no one intruding through her heightened senses as she swung into an attack.  
  
"I may be able to help you," a voice said from behind her. "We Egyptians are quite well trained in the art of combat.  
  
Serena opened her eyes to see a man who looked like and older Yugi standing there. He had a strange style of blade in his hands.  
  
"I don't think you can unless you can use that."  
  
"Uh, yes," he looked at the woman who swung her blade around into attack position again.  
  
"Very well," Serena waited until he made the first move. His moves were clumsy and predictable. Serena sidestepped and blocked. The blades intersected with a clash as she charged forward. He stumbled back in attempt to get a better defensive position but he was already locked into a position, which limited his movements. A string of hair fell loose as he swiped and several soft brown pieces fell to the ground. Serena didn't care, as he was forced back against the wall in a viscous onslaught from the woman. Yami swallowed hard at the force in which he was battered aside. She was stronger than her size let on and she manipulated her weapon with the grace of a master samurai.  
  
"What are you?" Yami whispered breathlessly.  
  
"I've been trained my entire life as a warrior." The hilt clinked against the sheath as Serena slid the sword into place. "A samurai's life is meant to protect others. I will not fail again."  
  
Varie was curled up in the corner asleep. Yami supposed her sugar high had finally worn off. Yami noticed his hand was shaking as he reached out to touch Serena's scarred face. They were prominent, clashing over her cheekbone in one thin line after another. The deep scars shone against her pale skin in an intensity that Yami had never seen before.  
  
"I know they're ugly, but that isn't new. Everything about me belongs to a demon." Serena turned away beginning to walk. She was a hideous demon who deserved to be slaughtered. That was what Draconians had always been. The scars only enhanced her appearance as a cursed Draconian.  
  
"Varie told me about your wings. I'd like to see them. I think they'd be beautiful and so are your scars. They're who you are." The queen snorted at this. She didn't believe him. The people never thought so. She could see by the way he moved that he was attracted to her but she wasn't interested. Serena Diana Kanzaki de Fanel could have her pick of all the men and she knew it.  
  
"I'm not interested," she finally said as she got up, walking away with Varie following at her heel. 


End file.
